Dolomites & Prosecco Rd Cycling Tour

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Tour Overview

Test yourself in the heart of the Dolomites where the majestic rugged peaks of spectacular shape and colour provide the perfect backdrop for the challenging ascents and superb descents of climbs made famous by the Giro d’Italia, and which we’ll conquer over five days.

Taking on the legendary passes of the Sella, Pordoi, Campolongo, Gardena, Santa Lucia, Giau, Falzarego and Valparola, and soaking in the incredible scenery and views In every direction you ride, will prepare your legs well for the ‘Queen’ and highest peak, the Marmolada.

From the inspirational landscapes of the Dolomites, we’ll then venture into the soft rolling hills of Prosecco Rd with its seemingly endless vineyards and Summer scents and colours rewarding you at every turn, before culminating in the final challenge of Monte Grappa; the mountain that rises out of the Veneto plains, and with its beauty and magnitude, engulfing you on your journey to the top. It’s perfect way to end an incredible week of climbing, testing you both physically and mentally.

Expect challenging days on the bike surrounded by warm Summer mountain air and scenery that feasts the eyes and heart in equal measure, followed by a food, wine and cultural experience that takes in the best of the Veneto’s varied landscapes, produce and cuisine, and its magnificent wines.

Join us for the challenge of a lifetime.

Dolomites Cycling Tour Itinerary

Welcome to the Dolomites & Prosecco Rd

On our Dolomites cycling tour, you’ll revel in daily rides that take us through the incredible mountainous landscape and climbs of the Dolomites, through the rolling hills and vineyards of the Prosecco hills, and culminate in our own ‘Gran Fondo di Monte Grappa’. The challenging rides will be met with amazing post ride rewards and an overall experience that is a feast for the senses.

We start our Dolomites cycling holiday with a short out and back loop to the little village at the foothills of the Dolomites. A light tempo will ease us into the week with this ride blowing the cobwebs out of your legs after your travels, and also give you the chance to test your bike set-up and make any micro adjustments to the bike, before a nice descent and final gentle spin back to our villa.

Highlight: The vista of the green hills and quintessential Alpine village laid out in the valley, surrounded by towering rocky peaks.Distance: 30kmElevation: 857m

This is one of our favourite days on the bike. We roll out and start the first of our three ascents for the day, Passo di Campolongo. We all find our own rhythm and set about rolling over the top, before a fast 15km descent and the task of conquering the challenges of Colle Santa Lucia, Passo Giau, Passo Falzarego and Passo Valparola. After stopping to regroup and take in the amazing view of the valley below, we have a final 14km’s of utter joy left, as we descend into the valley and our villa below.

Highlight: The imposing peaks as you reach the top of the Passo Giau and Passo FalzaregoDistance: 83kmElevation: 2496m

This is a superb day of climbing and descending with spectacular landscape everywhere you turn.

Today we are either going up or going down, with four distinct passes. We start with a short and slight descent to the south, before our first challenge of Passo di Gardena, followed by Passo di Sella, Passo Pordoi and finishing with the beautiful, free flowing descent of Passo di Campolongo.

We take in Passo di Campolongo before a 20km descent that gets us to the base of our main climb and challenge of the day, Passo Fedaia which sits at the foot of the Marmolada Glacier, and has been included in the Giro d’Italia 17 times.

Once we have navigated the final hairpins, we’ll regroup and roll around the artificial lake that pro teams use for altitude training, before taking the descent to Canazei, were we’ll have lunch and refresh ourselves before the last 15km section over Passo Campolongo once again, and home.

Fedaia is tough at 14km’s long and with a couple of steep pinches, but has some unique characteristic that makes this ride one of the best you will do.

Highlight: The beautiful and narrow gorge of the Serrai di Sottoguda on our way up an iconic Dolomites cycling climb.Distance: 94.2kmElevation: 2800m

After a leisurely start, we say goodbye to the Dolomiti and head south to our new home in Prosecco country.

Upon arrival at our villa we’ll take the time to settle in before we take to the undulating roads that cut through a landscape completely surrounded by the lush green vegetation of Prosecco vines and forest, continually dotted with little towns and vineyards.

We’ll take an easy tempo on our way to Follina for a mid ride coffee before a short climb and then rolling along the top of a ridge as we head for home.

Highlight: Rolling along the meandering network of quiet and tiny Prosecco back roads.Distance: 39kmElevation: 750m

Today we ride the Percorso Principale, or the “main Prosecco wine road”, a sensational loop of free flowing roads that dissect the rolling green vineyards and forest of the region. We will set off and descend in the direction of Valdobbiadene, before the many twists and turns as we keep rolling on towards Conegliano, where we will stop for lunch before our final kick back up the “collina” to our villa and pool.

This is our longest day on the bike and our final challenge, the majestic Monte Grappa.

We will roll out of our villa in the vines and take the meandering secondary roads towards the base of the climb, and where the fun begins. We will take in the early switchbacks, before tracking our way through beautiful and peaceful forest with hooting owls. We keep rolling and the landscape changes once again to a sparse grass covered rolling landscape with the road narrowing even further as it clings to the edge; it is just pure magic.

After the final pinch to the top, we will have lunch, refresh and ready ourselves for the sensational descent that is to come and the warm down as we roll back through the Prosecco vines of the Veneto.

Highlight: Ascending the sensational 25k climb on tiny winding roads, through tunnels and at the edge of the mountain with Venice in the distance.Distance: 134kmElevation: 2940m

Inclusions & Details

Accommodation & Meals

All breakfasts, lunches and dinners at a range of our favourite restaurants, osteria’s and home cooked locations, including nightly aperitivo hour and local wines and beers at each dinner.

Ride Support

Professional bilingual ride guides with extensive cycling experience, local knowledge and first aid experience, ensuring your riding experiences are truly local and take in many of the undiscovered back roads and rolling hills of this spectacular and diverse region.

Unique routes, available on GPS provided as part of the tour.

Support van on daily rides, with mechanical support and your safety as our priority.

Nutritious energy snacks and hydration are provided

Transfers & Activities

All transfers / transportation from pick up to drop off, including baggage and bike transportation.

Wine tastings and activities as outlined in the detailed tour itinerary.

Have more questions regarding our Dolomites Cycling Tour?

Bike Hire & Gear

Full Carbon Road Bikes

You can choose to hire a Pinarello, Bianchi or Formigli bikes with either Campagnolo or Shimano groupsets.

Gravel Bikes

Going off road as well? Have the best of both worlds with a Bianchi or Cannondale gravel bike with disc brakes.

GPS

An easy to use GPS is provided for your use for the duration of the tour with our daily rides pre installed.

Non-Riding Partners

As part of our Dolomites cycling tour, non-riding partners enjoy a customised travel program, designed to meet their interests and the best experiences that the Veneto and Dolomites has to offer. Whether its guided hikes in the magnificent Dolomites and around the Prosecco vineyards, cooking and photography classes or visits to the picturesque hilltop towns of the Veneto, non riders experience the majestic beauty, scenery and cultures of each area we visit. Nancy personally hosts non-riding guests each day with a select range of activities to suit the group.

Accommodation

You’ll enjoy our perfectly located, family-run boutique hotels in the heart of the Dolomites and our restored nineteenth century farmhouse villa in the Prosecco hills with its own prosecco vineyard and organic kitchen. Both boasting rooms with spectacular views of the surrounding landscapes, you’ll enjoy resting in the tranquillity of the night and waking up in heaven to all the amenities available to you for a superbly comfortable stay, pre and post ride.

Food & Wine

As we journey into the Dolomites, our food and wine journey will see you experiencing its diverse alpine cuisine, both with traditional Ladin influences through to superb Venetian quality and style. From the kitchens and dining rooms of locals with spectacular views to the chic style of alpine resort osterias and restaurants, you’ll experience all that the Dolomites has to offer.

We’ll then live amongst the vines in the Prosecco hills, and enjoy local produce and dishes that follow the rhythm of nature in this most fertile land, together with the distinctive character of the Veneto’s wines from Prosecco to Soave to Valpolicella and Amarone. This is a region of delightful, yet varied cuisine and we’ll have you experiencing it all.

Testimonials

THE RIDE ROUTES WERE SCENIC & CHALLENGING

Thank you for a wonderful locally focused adventure. The accommodation was spectacular, the hospitality was awesome, the dining experiences were exquisite and the bike routes, as always were scenic and challenging. Thank you both so much.

Jill and Kirsty

I ASSURE ALL NON-RIDERS YOU CAN GO ON A BIKE HOLIDAY & HAVE A FANTASTIC TIME

I want to reassure all non-riding partners, you can go on a bike-riding holiday and have a fantastic time. I felt part of the group, whether I was travelling in the support van enjoying the fantastic scenery and being amazed at the climbs the riders were achieving, or enjoying the non-rider activities such as treks in the countryside with Nancy.

Mary F

I WOULD LOVE TO DO IT AGAIN

Awesome riding and overall, a most enjoyable and fun experience that I would love to do again.